Pakistan: TLP Chief Rizvi survives firing attack that erupted during byelections

Islamabad [Pakistan], June 17 (ANI): Pakistan’s political party Tehreek-e-Labbaik’s Chief Saad Hussain Rizvi survived a firing attack on his car during the violence that erupted during NA-240 (Korangi Karachi II) by-election.
Political parties in Pakistan are blaming each other over the violence in which one person was shot dead and many others were injured.
TLP Chief Rizvi survived the firing attack on his car in Karachi’s Landhi area. A firing attack on Tehreek-e-Labbaik Pakistan’s polling campus at Landhi No. 6 left several activists of TLP severely injured, reported Pakistan’s local media outlet The Nation.
Over half a million registered voters of NA-240 were expected to exercise their democratic and constitutional rights in the by-election today, wherein among 25 contesting candidates the main fight was expected between the Muttahida Qaumi Movement – Pakistan (MQM-P), Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) and Tehreek-e-Labbaik Pakistan (TLP).
The by-polls in the National Assembly constituency, which had fallen vacant after the death of MQM-P MNA Iqbal Muhammad Ali in April, managed to attract the interest of political parties, but it couldn’t create much electioneering during the campaigns compared to past trends.
The total population of the constituency, as counted in the 2017 census, stands at 853,973 while the registered voters in NA-240 are 529,855, including 294,385 male and 235,470 female voters.
A total of 309 polling stations and 1,236 polling booths were set up for elections in the constituency. The Election Commission and security administration had declared 203 polling stations “highly sensitive” and 106 as “sensitive”.
Hours before the polling on Wednesday, the Pakistan Muslim League – Nawaz (PML-N) announced to withdraw from the process in favour of the PPP.
Some of the injured were identified as 18-year-old Waleed Qudrutullah with bullet injuries on his knee, Mohammed Idrees, 30, Khalid Chohan, 42, Salman Aslam, 35, Zeeshan Waris, 34, Aslam Ali, 35 and Nabeel Habib, 38, who suffered injuries on their head and other areas caused by hard and blunt instruments.
Police surgeon Dr Summaiya Syed confirmed to Dawn.com that the casualties were brought to Jinnah Postgraduate Medical Centre from the Landhi area.
The Edhi Foundation reported that during violence and firing in Landhi-6, an ambulance of the foundation, that was on duty to rescue the injured, was fired upon but all staff were safe and continuing their activities. (ANI)